Hello there. My title is Julián, and I’m the lead developer of Despelote – a slice-of-life journey about childhood and soccer in Quito, Ecuador within the 12 months 2001. Myself and the workforce are joyful to cease by the Xbox Wire at present to announce that our recreation is coming to Xbox Collection X|S in 2024. We’re additionally capable of announce at present that Despelote will likely be a part of Tribeca’s 2023 Competition Choice and that the sport will likely be printed by Panic, who helped deliver Untitled Goose Recreation and Firewatch to the world.
Whereas Despelote could be very a lot a recreation about soccer, you received’t actually end up enjoying a full soccer match and even needing to grasp the foundations. As an alternative,our recreation focuses on the inherent enjoyable of being a child, simply kicking round a soccer ball with your pals whilst you’re out and about, speaking about your day in school… and possibly annoying your neighbors within the course of.
It’s the 12 months 2001, and Ecuador is on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup. Ecuador had by no means certified for the World Cup earlier than, and as a rustic simply recovering from an enormous monetary disaster, the concept of qualifying has stuffed the neighborhood with hope and optimism. Studying in regards to the individuals of Quito as you play soccer with your pals, and feeling that vitality out of your neighborhood as you discover is what Despelote is all about.
Along with my good friend and artist Sebastián Valbuena we got down to make a recreation that’s not solely visually distinctive, but additionally one which communicates a robust and particular sense of place. That is partly as a result of Despelote is a semi-autobiographical recreation, as I grew up in Quito, Ecuador round this time, so it was vital to me that we get it proper. You additionally play as a younger boy named Julian, however he’s circuitously a one-for-one mirror of me!
To provide gamers a real image of Ecuador, we took images and recorded audio throughout journeys to Quito that are actually used within the recreation for objects corresponding to constructing textures and conversations you’ll hear as you discover the streets. Sebastián can be doing an unbelievable job of hand drawing our characters, in addition to the animals you’ll run into throughout your time in Quito. The sport can be absolutely voice acted in Spanish, with localized subtitles relying in your desire.
In order that’s Despelote: a bittersweet and typically dreamy semi-autobiographical story about how soccer can influence a spot and its tradition. We hope you cease by and go to Quito when it’s launched on Xbox in 2024. ¡Garcias, y cuidense!
